Chef notes
Growing up, I looked forward to this dish the most during the holidays. My mom had a little green recipe book she would pull out for Thanksgiving and Christmas that contained a recipe for a cheesy, crunchy potato casserole. Over the years, she would make "little Suz tweaks" that made it so much better — and now she's passed this recipe down to me. We're a family that welcomes all extra friends to our holidays, and most everyone who has come to a Cruz family holiday leaves begging for the recipe to make for their families — which I am now sharing with you.
PSA: These are called "funeral potatoes," I like to think, because of all the cheese, butter, sour cream, cheese, butter, cheese, more cheese, more butter. I guarantee any potato-lover will love them. Cal, my husband, can't believe how lucky I was to grow up eating this dish on the regular.
Technique tips: Leftovers may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or an oven preheated to 350 F until warmed through.
You can easily make this dish ahead of time. Prep everything up until combining the cornflakes with butter. Refrigerate your potato/sour cream mixture in the baking dish for up to 3 days. When you are ready to bake it, toss the cornflakes with the butter, top the prepared potatoes, and bake as directed.
